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Returning to my body after spending time under the Veil always makes me slightly disoriented. So though my brain was working feverishly, trying to catch up to whatever Arrow had figured out, my body was a little slower. I stood up from my squatting position, trying to turn to him at the same time. The weight of a physical body threw me off and I managed to trip over my own feet.  

Lupin caught my wrist pulling me up and stopping the humiliating stumble I was about to take. I glanced at him, surprised and thankful. His eyes were creased with worry, he could feel my rising panic, I couldn’t hide it. 

I turned back to Arrow, he had always been better suited to the after effects of the Veil. The phone was already at his ear, ringing for the third time. He glanced at me, his eyes still filled with that desperate fear. I pulled away from Lupin and approached my brother, there would be an audience for this call, there was no way around that. Werewolves had excellent hearing, we’d have to figure it out as we went.  

The call went through, and Salem’s annoyed voice rattled through the speakers. My older brother, I smiled affectionately.

“What is it Arrow? I’m busy.” Salem groaned, obviously preoccupied with something else. I looked at Arrow and tilted my head, letting my thoughts open for him. I felt his shadows, like slithering wisps of mist, cold and wet. They curled around my arms and up my throat, collecting my thoughts and bringing it back to him. Arrow flexed his jaw but nodded, pulling the phone away from his ear and putting our older brother on speaker. 

“Salem, it’s me.” I announced. The line muffled for a moment and then cleared, my brother's voice darker and crisp. 

“Are you ok?” I spared a glance at the wolves behind me. All of the faces were tight with focus, watching what we did, listening to what we said. They knew the only reason I had put the phone on speaker was because there was no other way. It wasn’t courtesy, it was just easier if we didn’t play the game. I sighed and turned back to the phone. 

“I’m fine. A little stiff and tired, but I’ll survive.” 

“That’s great news.” Salem intoned, his voice flat. He knew something was off; he just didn’t know what yet. I sighed again, this was going to be tricky. Just because I decided we could have this conversation in front of the wolves didn’t mean Salem would agree, and he called the shots. 

Arrow understood what was going through my mind and gave me a look, shrugging. Right, I guess we’d find out. 

“We have a question for you Salem, be aware, you're on speaker in a room full of werewolves.” A long silence passed and then I heard the rattling of my brothers sigh.

“I suppose, I can assume your wolf is with you?” I glanced sidelong at Lupin, but he was staring intently at the phone, his face twitching with confusion. He must recognize the tone of voice, I thought. I had never associated it with my brother, but it was who we were. He barely ever used it with us, his family. But sometimes formality must be enforced, and it was clear in his tone who was incharge and who was to be obeyed. I groaned internally, no, this was not going to go well at all. 

“Yes, Lupin Hunt, Alpha of the Pennsylvania Pack, as well as his inner circle are, in fact, all in attendance for this conversation.” Arrow’s eyes went wide and he surveyed the room again. I knew that he had already known this information, but he played the act quite well, he always did. Over the phone Salem scoffed, once. 

“Of course.” He muttered and I could hear the underscore of amusement in his voice, though it was beautifully covered by dark sarcasm. My family, ladies and gentlemen, excellent at playing pretend. Salem cleared his throat and the line cleared again. 

“Are you certain it is wise that they listen to whatever it is you have to say?” I closed my eyes, just because they wanted to play didn’t mean I had to. 

“It is just a question, Salem. It is the answer that might cause a problem.” Again he paused, but I knew Arrow was right. If I choose to tell Lupin my entire life story my family would support me. I knew that, I just couldn’t bring myself to risk them in that way. So even though Salem hesitated and the wolves around me tensed, I knew he would not argue. 

“Of course, ask your question, Sister.” I took a deep breath, trying to relieve myself of the rising panic. I bit my lip, hesistanting, but followed his path. Speaking with my power made the fear lessen. It wasn’t the same as the Veil, but it separated my thoughts from my feelings. It’s what banshee’s did when dealing with disputes. It puts anger aside and lets us create a fair solution. In this moment, it relieved me of the encroaching terror, because while Arrow had yet to confirm it, I could read his fear. And the very thought was too much, I refused it with everything I had. So I let my soul separate and spoke indifferently.

“The Erote’s?” I asked. “Are they still in captivity, Brother?” A brief pause echoed my words. 

“Of course, Sister. We would never release them, not only for the threat they issue to the world, but also for the threat they are to you. Why would you believe such a thing to be true?”

“My attackers communed with me, Brother. They claimed to follow her call, they sang that my heart would be her prize. I could surmise no other creature that fit the description.”

“Yes, I conclude the same. I shall have the matter investigated. Please wait a moment, Sister.” We waited for a long moment. I watched Arrow, refusing to look at Lupin’s reaction. My brother looked bored, holding out the phone on the palm of his hand and studying the walls. 

“Join us, Brother. Come over the Veil and make your assessment known to us.” He squinted at me and then rolled his eyes. Looking pointedly at the werewolves behind me. 

“I think it’d be best if, at least, one of us remained emotionally attached to this.” He smiled and winked at me. I inclined my head, my face emotionless. 

“Of course.” I intoned. He squirmed and looked away. 

“Is that what this is? She shed her emotions?” Someone asked from behind me, still I refused to look. But I knew the voice to be Ava, she sounded unsettled. Arrow nodded behind me, I could only assume it was directed at Ava. 

“Yes, banshee’s who are strong enough to step into the Veil can also rise above it. Separating their soul from their actions. It makes problem solving easier in political circumstances, getting rid of a person’s bias and simply choosing the best course of action.” He shrugged. “It’s completely unsettling and really eerie, but necessary in some circumstances. I don’t care to do it because I believe emotions are necessary when making decisions. My siblings have a different opinion.” Arrow looked at me and winced, quickly looking away.

“Why is she doing this? This conversation can’t call for her unbiased opinion, can it?” Arrow looked behind me, at Tristan, and shrugged. 

“No, probably not.” 

“Then why?” Tristan pressed. Arrow sighed and glanced at me, I nodded, once. 

“She’s scared.” He said simply. “My sister… well, she has a complex relationship with fear.” He took a deep breath, trying to explain what I would not. “All my sister has is control. She holds onto it tighter than most. I think anyone could agree that the last few days, for my sister, have been completely out of control.” He smiled, but he looked broken, preparing to crack and readying himself to pick up the pieces. “She just needs a break from feeling it all. Salem gave her an excuse to do it. She’s Fable after all, she’d never give herself that break.” He heaved a sigh. “If there's any word I’d use to describe my sister, it's selfless. She rarely thinks about herself.” I stared at him impassively, because he was right, I felt nothing. Later on I’d feel his words, but at this moment, I didn’t care. 

Silence stretched on and we waited. Salem made no noise on the phone and Arrow’s arm grew tired. He put the phone down on a glass coffee table and leaned against the wall. I stayed standing in the middle of the room, not caring. 

“Are you ok?” Rayen asked, her voice a whisper, but we could all hear her. She sounded concerned but still I did not turn. 

“Yeah.” Lupin groaned, his voice sounding stranded. “She just feels so… wrong. The Bond is still there, but it’s like she shut it off. It’s like she's gone, like she never was.” Arrow glanced at them, accessing my mate.

“I assure you she’s perfectly fine.” He cocked his head. “I agree it does feel odd when your mate steps over the Veil, but when she returns it will go back to normal.” 

“How long can she stay like that?” Rayen asked, worry coating her words. Arrow chuckled and shook his head. 

“Even Fable has her limits, one can not stay over the Veil forever. Besides she’s still in control, she will return whenever she wants to. And, I mean, all it takes is a surprise to bring her back. Slap her in the face and she’d go right back to normal.” He explained snapping his fingers to underscore his point. A low growl rumbled from Lupin, Arrow rolled his eyes. 

“Cool it, wolfy. I’m not going to hit her, just using it as an example.” He didn’t sound very reassuring but Lupin stopped growling. 

“This... Erotes?” Declan started. “Fable’s scared of her?” Arrow stared at him for a long while but then shook his head. 

“I think that's something she’ll have to explain.” 

“Should we be afraid of her?” Rayen asked. Arrow pursed his lips, thinking it over. 

“We don’t even know yet if she is the threat. It could have just been a freak vampire attack.” He smiled at them, skillfully avoiding an actual answer. I disagreed with his response and so I spoke up.

“If the Erote’s have somehow escaped they pose no threat to the werewolves. They only have a claim on my life, and mine alone.” The wolves behind me snarled at my words, triggered by the oncoming threat. 

“If they come for you, they come through us.” Lupin growled, the wolves around him snarling to support his claim. I looked at my brother and he shrugged, mildly impressed. 

“Sister.” Salem announced over the phone, the room went quiet.